Posted by Jay/CA. on 6/7/05 3:47pm
Msg #42997

CA. Approved vendors

First thank you Hamton/CA. , Jon and Gary for your promp responce .


Hamton you are 100% correct, I could not taken a class in mid-June when it's now only JUNE 7. OPPS a mistake I ment mid APRIL ,also as you said the 2005 SOS notary handbook in the common questions and ans section page 17 I received did have [ for the most part] the answers I was looking for.

I know now that I will have to take another class from a approve vendor , However I guess my prior question was, If I took the class mid APRIL 2005 when there was no requirement for a vendor to be approved, and in fact there was no such thing as a SOS approved vendor until last week of MAY 2005, would I have to take another course from a new approved vendor. If so hundreds of persons that took notary classes prior to JULY 1, 2005 from the many vendors all over the state will have to take another notary class .

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 6/7/05 3:55pm
Msg #42999

I'm confused...

If you took the course and exam in mid April you would have 30 days from the passing of your exam to purchase your bond and go to the County Clerk's office to file it and take your oath. That means (I'm guessing) you should have been a notary by the end of May. What happened? Did you wait too long to file the bond and take your oath?

It seems to me that if the timing was correct you would have become a notary before the July 1 deadline.

Not passing judgment, just wondering if you're out of time.

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 6/7/05 4:14pm
Msg #43000

If I remember correctly,

if you miss the 30 day deadline, you can request a 30 day extension. You might want to contact the SOS/Notary Division and check with them to see if you will be required to take the class and exam again.

Reply by Jon on 6/7/05 4:24pm
Msg #43003

Re: If I remember correctly,

You have 30 days from the ISSUE date of your commission to file bond and take the oath of office. There is NO EXTENSION for any reason whatsoever. If you fail to complete the above within 30 days, you must start the process all over.

If you took the exam, and are required to take the approved class, you DO NOT have to re-take the exam.

The date you take the exam has nothing to do with your bond or oath.

Reply by Jon on 6/7/05 4:19pm
Msg #43002

If you took the class and test in April, it is possible, although unlikely, that you will receive your commission before July 1. Before you take a course, call the SOS and find out which test date they are working on. They may be able to let you know if you need to take an approved class. The law says that the education requirement applies to all commissions issued on or after July 1. If your commission is issued before, you don't have to take the class, this time.

You are correct that many people who took classes will have to take an approved course as well. Unfortunately, many of the class providers did not understand the law and gave wrong info to their students(I know of one website that says if you take your test before July 1, you won't have to take an approved course). Some classes did say they will allow you take a free class after they are approved, assuming they will get approved.

The July 1 requirement has been in the law for over a year, all providers that are reputable should have been aware of it and let their students know that they may have to take another course.

Best Wishes

Reply by Terri-CA on 6/8/05 1:45am
Msg #43089

If you took your exam in April, and have received notice that you passed, have you submitted your live scan? You live scan would begin the background check. In April, the background checks were taking approximately 8-10 weeks.

If your commission start date is prior to July 1, 2005, you will not have to take another class from an approved vendor. However, if your commission start date is after July 1, then yes you will have to attend another. Check with the vendor that you took your initial class with, chances are they may allow you to retake (if necessary) the class with them at no cost.

At this time, there are only a few "approved" vendors listed on the California Secretary of State's website. I suspect that over the next few weeks that list will lengthen.

Once you receive your commision certificate, you will have 30 days to obtain your bond, then file it along with your oath with the County Clerk where your principal place of business will be.

Good Luck to you.

Terri
Lancaster, CA